Alternative Etching for Improved Cu-rich CuInSe2 Solar Cells

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

ABSTRACTTwo alternative chemical etchings (aqueous solution of bromine and bromine methanol solution) have been here tested to replace the KCN etching step in Cu-rich CuInSe2 based solar cells fabrication process. This new oxidative etch aims also at smoothing and thinning the as-grown films. This directly affects the interface between the absorber and the CdS buffer, interface which causes problems for Cu-rich solar cells. We present here the effect of these two alternative etchings on both the absorber surface and the solar cells parameters: whereas the bromine methanol etching destroys the solar cell, the aqueous solution of bromine leads to an improvement of the device through reduced interface and tunneling enhanced recombination.